2025 Funding Opportunities
Upcoming 2025 UMF Grant Round Schedule:
April 1-30: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) (all applications to be submitted through the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties). This grant round is now CLOSED.
June 1-30: Stronger Together Grant Round highlighting the following themes: Building Strong Families, Community Building, and Healthcare and Special Needs. This grant round is now CLOSED.
Remaining 2025 Grant Rounds (subject to change)
September: Mohawk Valley Gives (held in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties).
October 1-31: Advancing Education
The UpMobility Foundation (UMF) is pleased to invite proposals for funding opportunities that help advance educational resources, support innovative programs, and create opportunities that enhance learning experiences and outcomes for all learners. Nonprofits are invited to apply for funding for the following types of activities, although this should not be considered a comprehensive list of programmatic activities eligible to receive funding:
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Creating opportunities such as scholarships, internships, and mentorship programs to broaden learning experiences.
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Collaborating with educators, institutions, and community stakeholders to address educational gaps and improve overall academic achievement.
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Supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as well as entrepreneurship initiatives and programs.
Priority Funding Areas
UMF will prioritize high-impact investments that help strengthen an organization’s core capacities and facilitate the development of solution-based approaches to systemic issues. Requests for capital expenses, salary support, and general operating support will NOT be prioritized. Priority will be given to the applications that incorporate any or all the following:
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Propose activities that use social innovation to address problems or issues.
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Propose the establishment, development, or expansion of a social enterprise endeavor.
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Propose activities that have the potential to scale up or be used as a model for other organizations.
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Include substantive collaboration with other organizations.
Important Deadlines
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Submissions will be accepted beginning Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 8:00am. The application portal will close on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 11:59pm.
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UMF staff are willing to review proposals and provide feedback prior to submission. Draft proposals should be provided to Foundation staff no later than October 17, 2025. Please remember that the review of proposals and any advice provided by UMF staff should not be viewed as a guarantee or promise of funding. The UMF Board retains final approval authority for all requests.
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Award notifications will be made in mid-December. All applicants will be notified regardless of whether they receive funding.
Eligibility
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Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, an organization with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, or a faith-based organization seeking support for projects/programs that address non-religious needs or issues, serving diverse constituencies without regard to religious affiliation.
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Applications are invited from organizations across the United States, especially those serving the Mohawk Valley (generally defined as Oneida and Herkimer Counties in New York State). Regarding partnering with organizations out of our area, UpMobility generally prefers to fund those whose programs might be scalable to a wider audience and/or have an innovative approach that UMF can share with our partners in the Mohawk Valley. Relatedly, UpMobility is especially interested in nonprofits who have a track record of or a strong interest in collaborating with other organizations. Organizations located out of the Mohawk Valley area who are interested in applying are strongly encouraged to reach out to Foundation staff for an introductory meeting.
Opportunity Details
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UMF is primarily interested in making programmatic and/or project-related investments, including those for planning or exploration activities. Requests for capital expenses, salary support, and general operating support will NOT be prioritized.
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All programs/projects should have identifiable and measurable outcomes with a definitive timeline for completion or outcomes to be achieved.
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New and existing programs/projects are eligible for funding based on the following:
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New programs/projects must begin no earlier than January 1, 2026.
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Existing programs/projects can only apply for expenses incurred after January 1, 2026 and applications MUST detail how the request would help the program scale up, fundamentally change the program to directly address root causes of issues or problems, create or strengthen collaborations with other organizations, and/or enable organizational capacity building.
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Organizations applying for one-year grants are encouraged to request between $25,000 and $50,000 in funding from UMF. Organizations that substantively address one or more of the Priority Funding Areas listed below may apply for multi-year grants and request funding in excess of $50,000. Organizations interested in multi-year grants are strongly encouraged to reach out to UMF staff before submission as only a limited number of these awards will be considered.
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In addition to standard information required in most grant proposals (i.e., a project description, budget, and evaluation plan), applicants will be required to explain why their project/program is innovative or important, what organizations the applicant is collaborating with, and how the project/program will be sustained after the grant has concluded. Applicants are strongly encouraged to address all sections thoroughly to be favorably reviewed.
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All funded organizations will be required to submit periodic progress reports at a cadence to be determined by the project timeline.
Additionally, grant opportunities related to Entrepreneurship, Strengthening Democracy, and Humanitarian Aid & International Development will be by invitation only.
